INTRODUCTION

Griffon Model has come up with a nice ‘On Vehicle” photo-etch/multimedia kit. The kit specifies that it is “On Vehicle - Tool Racks & Brass Preformed Storage Tube for WWII German Panther Ausf. G. Jagdpanther (All Production Series).
There is a break down on the printed sleeve that bullet points each application for the pieces that comprise this kit:

review

The kit is packaged in a typical photo-etch plastic sleeve attached to cardboard stock with kit and company information printed on it. The plastic sleeve contains the PE fret, a 55mm length of brass tube, one 50mm piece of 1.5mm plastic rod, one 50mm piece of 0.5 plastic rod and the instruction sheet. The kit pieces are attached to a 3X 6” piece of heavy stock paper which has glossy photos of the various applications of the kit content.

The 65X120mm fret includes all the normal photo-etch pieces you would expect when building Panther based tools and attachment points. Included are the various chains, latches, straps etc.

The instruction consists of two 8X11” sheets printed on both sides. The first steps are generic building of the tools, storage tube etc. There are parts included that are designed to enhance kit parts rather than replace them and thus require the kit piece. The remainder of the instructions focus on the location of the various pieces based on which vehicle or version the modeler has chosen to build.

conclusion

If this is the only PE set you use on the next Panther Ausf.G it will add to your level of detail greatly. Griffon Model has picked the right area to add detail and improved tremendously on other PE producers by including brass tubing and plastic rod. Chances are you’ve supplemented other PE sets with these items in the past to make life easier. Finally one of the new producers of photo-etch has seen fit to ‘think beyond one dimensional.’

SUMMARY

Highs: Excellent breakdown of which parts go where on which vehicle! A brass tube rather than a flat piece requiring being rolled into tube shape! Inclusion of plastic rod for items such as the anchor posts for the tow cable, again not having to ‘form’ these.Lows: Duplicates many parts found in the large vehicle specific Photo-Etch selections available. Verdict: I can recommend this set with no reservations.

I live in the mountains north of Santa Cruz California. I have been building now since the early 1990's when I rediscovered modeling. Most of my kits are built with dioramas in mind. I took a "creative block" hiatis for a couple years - 2011 to 2013. I wasn't active in the modeling world. During tha...

Comments

Charles the review appears to be giving this set a glowing report, I would however be more interested in how easy you find/found it to achieve the desired results as shown in the pictures from the manufacturers site. I say this because I have purchased a few PE sets and found that a number of them should come with a finger size guide as my hands cannot get close to obtaining the results shown as my fingers get in the way more often than not. I did note that they have included a brass tube rather than flat PE which is an improvement. Please do not see my comments here as negative as that is not my intention knowing how hard it can be to do a review of PE frets.

Darren,
As I don't have a Panther being built at the moment,I opted to do the 'in box' type review however I will gladly report on how the set goes together when I do build one in the future.
For anyone who has used Aber or Eduard sets for the Panther, the tool clasps etc are pretty much the same on the Griffon set. As noted, the big difference is the inclusion of the brass tubing to make the storage tube a bit easier than having to fabricate one out of a flat piece of brass.
Cheers,
Charles

Part of the reason I ask Charles is that while ABER and Eduard PE is basically the same design ABER seems to me at least to be a stiffer product, where as Eduard will bend if you look at it harshly. I cannot recall having used any Griffon PE to date so that would also be an aspect I would be interested in.

same here - i would like too to know how easy (or not) is the build up. I have used Aber's PE set for my panther, and building some of the clasps was so combersome and difficult that i gave them up (extremely small, and on top of that, you need to somehow insert an even smaller piece to them)